Multi-rack stacker system

ABSTRACT

A prefabricated multi-rack stacker system comprising double row multi-stacker shelves including support members each having at its lower end a base being adjustable to vary height of the support member in order to allow the system to be installed at a desired location which may be uneven in its floor surface. The support member is mounted on the base in a swingable manner more finely meet the above requirement. The system further comprising a plurality of detachable upper connecting members, a plurality of lower connecting members, an upper rail detachably mounted onto the upper connecting members and serves to guide and support upper end of an accumulation conveyor in a movable manner, and a detachably mounted lower rail, which serves to guide and support the lower end of the conveyor. The system is made in a prefabricated manner so that the installation at any desired location can be made ease. The system is further equipped with various aspects to improve the operation and function.

United States Patent Kito et al.

Nov. 6, 1973 MULTl-RACK STACKER SYSTEM Inventors: Ryoichiro Kito, Tokyo; Kazuo Maeda, Yokohama; Misumi Osawa, Tokyo; Nobuo Hayasaka, Kawasaki; Hisatsugu Watanabe; Takenori Akaike, both of Tokyo, all of Japan Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kito, Tama-ku,

Kawasaki City, Japan Filed: July 26, 1972 Appl. No.: 275,291

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 30, 1971 Japan 46/75793 Jan. 28, 1971 Japan 46/9781 [52] U.S. Cl 214/l6.4 A, 211/176, 104/123 [51] Int. Cl B65g 1/06 [58] Field of Search 214/16.14 A, 16.1 EA, 214/16.l CF, 16.4 B, 16.1 EB

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,139,994 7/1964 Chasar 214/16.4 A

3,219,207 11/1965 Chasar 214/16.4 A 3,701,442 10/1972 Dunning et al. 214/164 A Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant ExaminerR. Johnson AttorneyRichard C. Sughrue et a1.

57 ABSTRACT A prefabricated multi-rack stacker system comprising double row multi-stacker shelves including support members each having at its lower end a base being adjustable to vary height of the support member in order to allow the system to be installed at a desired location which may be uneven in its floor surface. The support member is mounted on the base in a swingable manner more finely meet the above requirement. The system further comprising a plurality of detachable upper connecting members, a plurality of lower connecting members, an upper rail detachably mounted onto the upper connecting members and serves to guide and support upper end of an accumulation conveyor in a movable manner, and a detachably mounted lower rail, which serves to guide and support the lower end of the con veyor. The system is made in a prefabricated manner so that the installation at any desired location can be made ease. The system is further equipped with various aspects to improve the operation and function.

26 Claims, 48 Drawing Figures I (II III! O a f g I F:

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1. A multi-rack stacker system equipped with an accumulation conveyor comprising multi-rack stacker shelves arranged in two rows and at lower portion of each support member thereof a base is fixed in a manner height adjustable and universally movable in any direction, the multi-rack stacker shelves are provided at the upper and lower ends with a number of upper connecting members and a number of lower connecting members detachably arranged spaced apart at an interval in the longitudinal direction of the multi-rack stacker shelves, upper end portion of the accumulation conveyor is supported in freely running manner by an upper rail detachably fixed at the center of the upper connecting members, and lower end portion of the accumulation conveyor is supported in a freely running manner by a lower rail detachably fixed at the center of the lower connecting members.
 2. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said upper rail (6) is I-shaped in cross-section, on the lower flange (26) of which are arranged upper rollers (27) of the upper end of said accumulation conveyor (7) one at each side of the web of the upper rail, and said lower rail (8) is inwardly flanged, open bottomed channel-shaped in cross-section and is firmly fixed to the lower connecting members (5) by means of clamp members (28) and screw threaded members (29) and lower rollers (30) are arranged one at each side of the lower rail (8) in guiding contact with the vertical webs of the rail (8) and are rotatably supported on the lower end of the accumulation conveyor (7) by vertical shafts (31).
 3. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base (3) is provided with height adjusting means (17) comprising a male screw 18 adapted to be screwed into a female screw threaded fitting (15) fixed to the lower end of said each support member (2) and a nut (16) adapted to be rotated by a wrench or the like rotary tool.
 4. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said base (3) is hemispherical which is provided at its periphery with a flange (20) and is formed at its center with an opening loosely receiving the smaller diameter portion (19) of said height adjusting means (17) such that said base (3) is universally movable about the portion (19) in any direction.
 5. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said base (3) is hemispherical which is formed at its center with a hemispherical cavity (32) receiving a hemispherical head (33) of said height adjusting means (17) abutting thereagainst, said base (3) being provided with a ring (34) fixed to the outer end of said cavity for preventing the loss of the base assembly.
 6. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said accumulation conveyor (7) comprises a carriage (47) lifting along guide rails (38) mounted on longitudinal frames (35) each consisting of a box-shaped main body (36) elongated in the carriage travelling direction and reinforcing members (39) of box-shaped in cross-section arranged on and fixed to the end of the main body (36) opposite to said guide rail (38), said members (39) located one on each side of said main body (36).
 7. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 6, wherein a reinforcing plate (40) in said main body and webs (41) of the member (39) are made of a single plate, and an end plate (42) and webs (43) of the member (39) on the end of the main body opposite to the guide rail (38) are also made of a single plate, the metal platEs of the longitudinal frame (35) being connected with each other by means of welding, and wherein in the spaces within the main body (36) and reinforcing member (39) are accommodated reinforcing spacer plates (44, 45, 46) fixed by welding at intervals along a longitudinal direction of the frame (35).
 8. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 6, wherein webs (49) connecting end plates (37, 42) of the main body (36) are made of single plates, respectively, between which, if desired, a reinforcing plate (50) is secured to the webs (49) intermediate the ends thereof.
 9. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 6, wherein an end plate (42) of the main body (36) and webs (43) of the reinforcing member (39) are formed in one plate integral with each other.
 10. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein a switch support plate (51) is pivotally mounted at its end on said carriage (47) of the accumulation conveyor (70) by means (7) a horizontal pivot axis (52), with the other end of which plate is engaged a spring (58) urging the plate toward a striker rail (61) of said conveyor (7), on the outer surface of which support plate (51) are mounted limit switches (60) and guide means (59), and to said striker rail (61) is fixed a striker support plate (63) to which are fixed strikers (66) actuating said switches (60) and guide member (67) in supportingly contact with said guide means (59).
 11. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 10, wherein to said carriage (47) is fixed support members (53), through each of which passes a screw threaded portion 55 of a support rod 54 having an adjusting nut 56, said spring (58) being coiled about said support rod (54) and adapted to be compressed between the upper end of the switch support plate (51) and the support member (53), thereby adjusting the force of the spring (58).
 12. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 10, wherein a roller is used as guide means (59).
 13. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 10, wherein a slide shoe is used as guide means (59).
 14. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 10, wherein a roller is used as a guide member (67) and a rod-like member is used as guide means (59).
 15. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said striker rail (61) is formed with a number of mounting apertures (62) in a row at a short distance interval, and said striker support plate (63) are formed with vertically elongated holes (64) which serve to secure said striker support plates (63) to said striker rail (61) adjustably in height.
 16. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said accumulation conveyor (7) is provided with an extensible and retractable fork mounted thereon, including a lower fork (68), an upper fork (78) and an intermediate fork (74), and said extensible and retractable fork comprises lower flat plate-like restraining bearings (73) between the mid portion of said lower fork (68) and said intermediate fork (74) for preventing said intermediate fork from raising away from said lower fork, flat plate-like bearings (76) at the contact portion between the end of said lower fork and said intermediate fork for supporting load, upper flat plate-like restraining bearings (83) between the mid portion of said intermediate fork and said upper fork for preventing said upper fork from raising away from the intermediate fork, and flat plate-like bearings (85) at the contact portion between the end of said intermediate fork and said upper fork for supporting load.
 17. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said fork further comprises advancing and retracting pulleys (91, 93) provided at the front and rear ends of said intermediate fork (74), an advancing rope (92) extending around the advancing pulley 91, the end of which are fixed to the rear ends of the upper and lower forks (78, 68), respectively, and a retracting rope (94) extending around the retracting pulley (93), the ends of which are fixed to the front ends of the upper and lower forks (78, 68).
 18. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said system is provided with detecting means (105) for detecting loading pallets, the casing (106) of which is fixed to the carriage 47 of the system, to the rear end of which casing (106) is fixed a motor (MD) of which shaft (119) is connected through a sliding coupling (120) to the rear end of the driving shaft (118) formed at its front end with a male screw (121) on which is threadably engaged a detecting shaft (109) slidably fitted in said casing (106) and a bearing (125) is rotatably fitted in place on said driving shaft (118), against the outer surface of which bearing (125) abut holding members (128), said bearing (125) being provided with a switch operating finger (127) fixed thereto in opposition to a control switch OLM controlling the operation of said motor (MD).
 19. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 18, wherein said holding members (128) for said bearing (125) are urged against said bearing (125) by means of springs (131) the force of which are adjustable by adjusting screws (130) screwed in the outer portion of holding tubes (129) in opposition to the holding members, thereby adjusting the force of the holding members (128) restraining the axial movement of the driving shaft (118).
 20. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein a distance (D1) between the endmost inner and outer support members (2A, 2C) of said shelves (1) is larger than a distance (D2) between the other inner and outer support members (2B, 2D), thereby stocks (133) can be loaded or unloaded in the longitudinal direction as well as the lateral direction.
 21. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the endmost outer support members (2C) of said shelves (1) are arranged at a wider distance to each other than that of the other outer support members (2D) so that the distance (D1) between the endmost inner and outer support members (2A, 2C) is larger than the distance (D2) between the other inner and outer support members (2B, 2D) and than the width (D3) of the stocks (133).
 22. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the endmost inner support members (2A) are arranged closer to each other than in the other support members (2B) so that the distance (D1) between the endmost inner and outer support members (2A, 2C) is larger than the distance D2 between the other inner and outer support members (2B, 2D), thereby stocks (133) can be loaded or unloaded in the longitudinal direction as well as the lateral direction, and the width (D4) of the portion (135) of the accumulation conveyor (7) passing through between the endmost inner support members (2A) is less than the width (D5) of the fork (132).
 23. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said accumulation conveyor (7) including an automatic control panel (AC) having an operation circuit, a controlling circuit and carriage (47), said controlling circuit comprises a fork controlling circuit consisting of a first circuit responsive to instructions of ''''UP CARRIAGE,'''' ''''DOWN CARRIAGE,'''' ''''FORK RIGHT'''' and ''''FORK LEFT'''' from said automatic control panel and a second circuit for controlling one cycle operation of said fork started by an operation of a relay contact included in said first circuit.
 24. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said accumulation conveyor (7) including a fork controlling circuit, said circuit comprises a switchover contact, a limit switch indicating fork extremity, a limit switch indicating the predetermined positions of said fork, motor interlock switch and field coil of the motor connected in series, and further comprises a timer release contact (RR) connected in parallel with said limit switch (FC) indIcating the predetermined positions of said fork, said contact (RR) being adapted to be opened by a timing device.
 25. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said accumulation conveyor (7) including an automatic control panel having an operation circuit, a controlling circuit and a carriage, said operation circuit is made of addition circuit only, and said carriage is provided with signalling means to send out working completion signal which provides an instruction from said automatic control panel to a station, which instruction is directly given to said controlling circuit without using any operation circuit, thereby said carriage and accumulation conveyor return to the station automatically with the aid of limit switches included in the controlling circuit and the carriage.
 26. A multi-rack stacker system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said accumulation conveyor including an automatic control panel having test panel device and operation circuit, a controlling circuit and a carriage, said accumulation conveyor comprises accumulation conveyor control means having portions adapted to be connected with a testing circuit and switches provided on said test panel device, and a test device separate from said automatic control panel. 